What happens when a support system isn’t built around the customer?
Two Ends of the Spectrum
Let’s take the case of a Seattle based supplier of solar heating products and two of its customers. Mr. Robinson wishes to inquire about the prices of a new model of solar heater. This is a generic question that the business gets asked at least three times every day. Ms. Vale, on the other hand, has purchased 5 such heaters about 6 months ago for the geriatric hospital she runs. Now she wants to know if she is entitled to a discount on further purchases. How does the business address it?
The Curse of Standard Treatment
Standard small business software would just take in both queries and forward them to the customer service support team. While Mr. Robinson is happy enough to receive a generic response after a day, Ms. Vale is left feeling that the company doesn’t really value her business. She starts looking for competing options.
What should the business be doing?
The business would benefit from a more discerning system that has a standard answer for routine questions and prioritizes unique ones. In such a system, Ms. Vale’s hospital would be instantly diverted to a customer service representative who can attend to her personally, as this is a valuable business opportunity. She is delighted and chooses to go with this company, even at a small premium, because she is convinced that their after-sales service will be equally good.
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